Manatee schools will eliminate 188 full-time jobs

The Manatee County school district will eliminate 188 full-time staff positions for the 2013-14 school year by restructuring class sizes and giving employees more responsibilities.

District principals were informed of staffing changes earlier this month, and on Monday the School Board unanimously approved staff cuts that school officials said could save more than $10 million. The savings are needed for a district that has experienced program cuts and other austerity measures in the wake of a $3.4 million budget deficit that depleted reserves last fall.

A district savings plan cuts back on the number of special education teachers and elective teachers, and eliminates 44 teacher aides positions by changing student and staff ratios. But it calls for 22 additional technology assistants in elementary and middle schools and eight parent liaisons — staff in charge of discipline — in order to help with computer-based testing and a program that helps students in the middle prepare for college.

The district can save $5.9 million alone and eliminate 96 staff positions by realigning student/teacher ratios to meet the state Class Size Amendment and minimizing state funding reductions for a lack of compliance, said Chief Financial Officer Michael Boyer.

The Class Size Amendment requires no more than 18 students for PreK through third grade, 22 students in grades four through eight and 25 students in grades nine through 12.

Boyer has spent the past two months working on savings options and worked with Citizens Advisory Group vice-chair Bill Vogel earlier this month to inform school leaders of changes.

District officials said Monday the district loses about 200 employees a year through attrition. The savings plan would eliminate 188 total positions.

“For a while people might have that uncertainty,” Vogel said. “But because we are doing it so early and because of attrition we hope to find a place for everyone.”

Boyer said evidence suggests that the district's current allocations attributed to the budget problems. As an example he cited elementary schools that have added staff in order to meet class size requirements and avoid fund reductions from the state — a decision that actually costs the district more through salaries. The district is paying for more positions than it needs in some schools, he said.

“It was fiscally irresponsible,” Boyer said. “Principals will have to adjust by July 1.”

Regardless, the restructure almost certainly means more work with less staff for a district that has already experienced pay and program cuts. Speech therapists' caseloads will increase and 17 custodial positions will be eliminated by making existing custodians responsible for larger areas.

Director of Maintenance and Operations Todd Henson said staff was just becoming informed about the changes, and that though some schools won't see a change at all, it will take some time to see how total staff is affected. He estimates that he loses more than 30 custodians per year due to attrition.

Director of Elementary Schools Joe Stokes said Monday that school size would likely affect how deeply elementary schools feel the cuts.

“Most schools will feel the effect in their electives,” Stokes said, speaking of classes such as art, drama and music. “It all comes back to this budget problem.”

School officials reported Monday that the district is still on track to bring reserves back to more than $6 million, and above the 2 percent of operating expenses that the state has asked Manatee County to maintain after the September budget crisis. Districts are usually required to maintain 3 percent of their operating budget in their reserves.

Many have high hopes that the legislature will make class size rules more flexible.

“They're going to look at schools (size) instead of by class,” Boyer said. “Which is profoundly different and will allow us to be much more flexible.”

Earlier Monday, board members also discussed the future of the legal department in light of board attorney John Bowen's impending retirement in June. The board tasked Bowen and Superintendent Rick Mills with exploring options for future counsel for the school board, staff and the superintendent, and report back at the April 8 board meeting.